James Tarkowski and Alexis Mac Allister were involved in one of the biggest flashpoints of Wednesday’s Merseyside derby when the Everton captain’s crunching challenge left the Liverpool midfielder writhing on the turf in agony.
Tarkowski won the ball but followed through and his studs caught Mac Allister high up on his leg, prompting a VAR review for a possible red card.
Surprisingly, the video assistant referee did not advise the on-field referee to consider changing his original decision — which was to show Tarkowski a yellow card — and the Toffees center-back remained on the pitch.
Despite the brutal nature of the challenge, Tarkowski and Mac Allister appeared to have put the incident behind them as the pair embraced after the final whistle. Tarkowski collared Mac Allister on the pitch and appeared to check how he was, and Mac Allister responded with a smile on his face, suggesting that he held no ill will against the former Burnley player.
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